Nutmeg
by LeaNicolaie
Summary: AU - Everyone thought 'She' was gone. Everyone thought Ichiru wasn't meant for being a hunter. But Zero knows differently - because 'She' told him so. A collection of one-shots in a world where the pureblood who once gave her life for peace has a larger amount of influence than many suspect.
1. Nutmeg - Kiryuu Zero

A/N: Hello! *wiggles fingers* Yeah, this is a bit of a weird, spiritual thing *points down* so... I apologize in advance if it's confusing for you all. Just an idea :) I wanted to give Ichiru more hope see, since we all know how his life ended in canon *sheds tear* And I just wondered, well, Fuck **that**, things don't got to be so bleak! (Yes, this is me being rebellious XD)

**Warnin's**: If you haven't seen the chapter in which Kaname shares his scattered memories with Yuuki yet, the whole legend of the pureblood woman giving her heart for the creation of anti-vampire weapons bit might confuse you. I don't think it's that hard to grasp in the one-shot, but just letting you guys know.

Disclaimer: No own, no own.

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><p><strong>Nutmeg - Kiryuu Zero<strong>

"…And that was how vampire weapons were created." Yagari Touga finished.

He didn't know how he found his way into their current conversation, but he somehow ended up talking about _the_ pureblood no decent hunter went without knowing - and all to two little boys he doubted understood everything.

He himself had been confused when first hearing about her from his own parents. Why would hunters use the help of a pureblood vampire, one of their worst enemies, to create the weapons they now used to destroy them? His father had simplified the matter to snake venom and vaccines, which was basic enough for him to digest at the time.

He wondered, as two pairs of wide eyes blinked once then twice, from across the table, if he would have to use the same example.

"But Uncle Yagari—"

Damn it! "I am _not_ your uncle!" He immediately denied, indignant. "I'm only nineteen—"

"But Uncle Yagari," Kiryuu Ichiru bulldozed over whatever he was about to say with practiced ease, "what happens to the pureblood lady after?"

Yagari narrowed his eyes in annoyance.

"She dies." He said flatly.

Ichiru looked stunned at the cold revelation before his face crumpled in devastation.

"What…why?" He whimpered. "She was so nice to us, and she died?"

Yagari nearly blanched at the oncoming of tears. He couldn't believe the kid was _crying_. He hated crying people.

Just as his half panicked brain decided shoving a kerchief up the kid's nose might be a good idea, Kiryuu Zero spoke up, catching his brother's attention.

"She's not dead, Ichiru. Don't cry." He said, patting his brother's hair.

"She's…She's not? Then Uncle Yagari was lying?" Sniffle.

The hunter in question bristled. _Lying_? Of course he wasn't! What would he gain out of that anyway?

"Yeah, don't listen to him."

_What?_ Yagari sent Zero a disgruntled glare and merely received an accusatory one in return. 'It's your fault he's crying so shut up!' those sharp eyes reprimanded, and Yagari raised a brow, but backed down.

"What happened then? To the pureblood lady?"

"…She gave Her heart to us," Zero said slowly.

"Yeah, I know." Ichiru sniffed bemusedly, moving to wipe his nose. "That's how we got our weapons."

Zero shook his head and placed his hand at his brother's chest. "Not just this heart, Ichiru. She gave us Her Wish."

"Wish?"

"…That we protect each other."

Yagari almost gave into a snort, but Zero pinned him with another warning glare and he swallowed his reflexive response with a sullen crease of his brows.

"Protect?"

Zero nodded, his gaze strong and convincing. "We protect vampires and they protect us." He whispered.

"Protect…" Ichiru whispered back. "So She's not dead right?"

"If we remember Her Wish."

"I'm going to remember. I won't forget."

Zero nodded again and kissed his cheek. "Don't forget. Always remember."

With soft vows and gentle promises, Ichiru sunk into sleep for the night. All the while Yagari watched Zero with shrewd eyes.

He always thought the kid was somewhat strange. Too young, too old, too _knowing_… There was something timeless about him. Untouched and infinitely deep, his potential seemed limitless. The young hunter-to-be was a well of opportunity just waiting to be tapped. It was eerie, what Yagari glimpsed in those pale bright eyes, if and when it decided to show. And it wasn't just him. Kids much younger picked up on the Kiryuu heir's otherworldly presence that he couldn't seem to go anywhere without. Whether it was out of an innate sense of self-preservation or some genetic hunter instinct, the hunter children gave Zero a wide berth.

Ichiru had yet to notice, oblivious against the wary looks his older brother tended to garner from their peers. He had simply never known his older brother to be any other way.

Yagari couldn't help wondering what Zero was thinking when he reiterated the ending to the legend he'd told, but it sounded like a fool's ideal. Not so different from that Cross Kaien he heard about… And yet, not even the cheery ex-hunter had ever interpreted the story that way.

_'Protection.' _The idea was completely ludicrous. Their hunter weapons were for killing vampires, and that included every level, from E to A when necessary. They were made to protect _humans_, to be used _against_ vampires. He honestly couldn't see how the boy had come to his inane conclusions. As much as he wanted to pass it off as childish fancy, there was something about Zero that made him rethink of dismissing it so easily.

"Uncle Yagari, did you bring rice cakes?" Zero was tucking his brother in.

Brow twitching, Yagari ground out, "How many times do I have to say—"

"You have hair on your face like Father. You're old. Did you bring rice cakes?"

Reminding himself losing it against a seven year old wasn't the least bit mature, he nodded curtly. "It's in the fridge."

"Good. Ichiru likes them."

"I would never bring them otherwise." He said dryly.

"Mm." Zero hummed. "Cause you don't like them."

"Sticky and mushy." Yagari shrugged.

"Shortcake is sticky and mushy but you like those."

His lips twitched. "I do not."

"You do. Mother said you ate more than two slices at our birthday party."

"That's not completely true…"

"Mother doesn't lie."

He chuckled." No, she doesn't."

"And you?" Bright eyes looked up evenly. "Do you lie?"

Pausing, Yagari frowned, suddenly on guard. "What do you want?" If his tone came out sharper than intended, the child didn't seem to mind.

"…She didn't die, Uncle Yagari. Everyone just thinks She did."

So they were back to that story? "Well, there's nothing that says she did." He admitted.

Zero stared for what felt like hours before he smiled, small and sweet. "Yeah." He said absently and walked past Yagari, out into the hall, his bare feet patting along the wood flooring, down the stairs.

Yagari watched him go, shaking his head. The kid was weird as hell.

. . .

Zero knew he was a little different from other children, from others like his brother, who was soft and carefree, bright and full of life. Ichiru was eager to learn things, anything he could get his hands on he didn't know before. Zero didn't know a lot of things either, but he knew more than other kids, more than his brother. He was _aware_ of more.

He didn't know where the varying information came from or how he came to know, he simply did. Uncle Yagari didn't believe him about the pureblood vampire who'd sacrificed Her life for peace, but Zero knew he was right. She wasn't really dead. Death was made up of numerous interpretations and Her physical deterioration was just one of many. He knew She wasn't gone because he could still feel Her. Her presence still rang true in the gun Uncle Yagari possessed, in the sword Cross Kaien kept in his study, carefully tucked away, and in the tools his parents owned. She was still here.

Sometimes She called to him, from one old soul to another.

_You've been renewed many times over_, She had whispered to him. _Soon, you'll likely regain what you've lost._

It wasn't uncommon for souls to be renewed once or twice without ever knowing, though getting renewed as many times as he had was, in fact, quite rare. And with rare opportunities, came bizarre side effects, such as gaining natural access to past memories his soul was imprinted with.

_You mustn't shun them_, She cautioned,_ they will feel foreign at first_. Acceptance was key.

He'd tried to be sly and curiously asked if his soul was older than Hers, just to gain more information, but She'd laughed and easily sidestepped his efforts. They were both old, She merely said, very old, but She graciously added this was the first time he had been renewed in a long, long while.

Supposedly, it was one of the reasons why She was able to establish such a strong connection with him. Age had enabled his soul to tolerate Her presence for an extended period of time without any serious damage. Her power, strong enough to last thousands of years, was entirely overwhelming for new souls; She could hurt them irreparably without precautions.

_All some can manage is to touch physical extensions of myself._ She referred to the anti-vampire weapons. _Those like your trainer or the man with a photo fetish have a deeper understanding of my extensions in comparison due to being able to stand a greater amount of my presence. Do you see?_

Those who could call on Her strongly were considered better hunters. Their physical connection with Her, through their flesh and blood and their weapons, made their senses more sensitive, their bodies more sturdy and versatile, adding to their advantage when going up against a vampire.

But initially, She hadn't shared her blood and life to create living weapons. She hadn't wanted for destruction or for hatred or fear. She had simply wanted for understanding. The middle ground between the two species should've been what they now referred to as hunters.

Vampire enough to relate to vampires and human enough to relate to humans – they were meant to be the perfect intermediary between two races, neither of which weren't actually so different.

Eying his mother's knives lying innocuously on her nightstand, he murmured, "Good evening."

A solid chuckle echoed through his mind, husky and confident. _Good evening, little one. You know you needn't be near my extensions to speak to me._

"It feels better than talking to thin air."

She chuckled again. _What have you been thinking about to feel so somber?_

"…Uncle Yagari told us about your extensions. He didn't believe me when I said you weren't dead. Ichiru does, though."

As always, She became intrigued whenever Ichiru was mentioned in any capacity. _Your Little One? What has he said?_

"…He cried for you." Zero said softly. "I told him as long as we remembered, you'll be okay."

A wave of warmth spread over him, powerfully affectionate, deep and content.

_Thank you._

"Mm." Anything for the one who had saved his only brother. Ichiru would have died before he was born without Her interference. Nearly all cases of hunter twins turned out the same way.

_And_ you _must remember, both you and your Little One are special. You must keep each other safe._

It was what she reminded him, every time, in every conversation. He didn't know what had Her protective instincts flaring, but he heeded Her warnings to the best of his abilities. Ichiru was fragile enough as he was without added danger to his physical health.

"Mm." Stepping closer, he placed a gentle hand to the polished blade. "When will Ichiru be able to feel you?"

She smiled. _Soon_. He heard it as a soothing whisper. _He needs time; his soul is still so new_. _Have faith in your Little One_.

He nodded slowly. "I do." It was his parents who worried him. The way they looked at Ichiru…as if being forced to face something painful…it was worrying. They loved Ichiru as their child, but they couldn't love him as a hunter.

_Soon_, She had said. _Soon_… Just a little more time.

She sighed softly, a flutter of disappointment gliding across his mind, and gently shooed him. _Go, little one, your parents are here_.

True to her words, he heard two pairs of footsteps coming up to the front door.

"Good night."

_Sweet dreams_.

His small feet silent against the carpet, he quietly closed the door behind him with the faintest click before scampering back up to his room, where Ichiru was tucked safely under his covers.

Just a little more time. He smiled.

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><p>Thanks for reading! :D<p>

Edit: 12-30-2014


	2. Nutmeg - Kiryuu Ichiru

**Nutmeg**_** - **_**Kiryuu Ichiru**

"_Zero, what is it?" Ichiru looked over his brother's shoulder and out at the tall woman under the cherry blossom tree near their home. "Wow…" He breathed. "She's pretty…"_

_She was beautiful. Against the pitch-black sky peppered with glowing stars, her radiance seemed only to magnify, though Zero felt even someone like her shouldn't feel so right being left alone and under the vastness of the sky._

"_She's crying."_

"_She's sad…" Ichiru tugged at his brother's sleeve. "Zero." He whispered worriedly. Why was she crying?_

"_Someone important to her is gone." Zero answered. It was written in the lines of her face. She saw nothing but Loss…and a deep, desperate sort of anger._

"_Gone…?"_

_Zero cradled his brother's cheeks. "Someone important to her died." They had died and literally taken her with them. Zero remembered attending the funeral of another hunter and the way the hunter's wife had looked, staring through the face of her husband in the coffin. She hadn't looked any different from the woman they saw now. _

_Ichiru sent the woman another glance and covered his brother's hands with his own. "Like grandma and grandpa?" All that was left of them were their cold graves, names and dates carved with pretty curves and loops._

"_Yes."_

"_Her important person can't come back. That's why she's crying?"_

"_Yes." Zero gently pressed their foreheads together. "She's someone that lost her Wish."_

_Ichiru's eyes widened, awash with sympathy. "Then…she's going to die too, isn't she? You said people couldn't live without their Wish."_

_Whatever Kaito had said regarding Ichiru's weaknesses, Zero would never believe for a moment the solid ache Ichiru could feel for others' pain was a weakness at all. His brother knew what crippling emotional torment felt like, he was under them everyday, and could easily recognize it in other people. His sympathy wasn't out of politeness. It was very real._

_Zero kissed his cheek. "Yes." She was already dead, in a way. Her life was almost gone. He flicked another look towards the woman still enjoying the night breeze under the tree. "Let's go home."_

. . .

"Zero, can someone have more than one Wish?"

Zero pulled the covers up to their chin after reaching for the bedside lamp to turn it off. "Do you mean one at a time, or at once?"

Ichiru frowned in thought before answering, "…Both."

"Yes." Zero said simply. "Though usually when there's more than one at once, they're tied together in some way. Connected Wishes. And it's okay to find a new Wish if an older one is fulfilled properly." It was how people lived, day to day. The Emptiness would never lessen unless a Wish was there to fill it.

"Then…then what about the pretty woman we saw under the tree?"

The woman… It would be just like Ichiru to care about what might happen to her.

Zero held his brother's hand between them. They were the same shape and size, but Zero's were already calloused and his grip was firm, strengthened by the rougher hunter training Yagari assigned him. He absently rubbed his thumb over Ichiru's soft knuckles.

He didn't know if his brother had noticed the woman they had seen was a vampire. He could tell, clear as day, but whether Ichiru knew or not, he looked so amazed Zero couldn't bring himself to say anything. The woman's Loss seemed recent, fresh. Her tears didn't have the same weary, seasoned grief he'd seen in older hunters who had outlived their loved ones for years.

Or did the hollowness that came with losing someone remain so raw, no matter how much time passed?

He could search out a few memories ingrained into his soul from past lives to see if that were true, but he didn't want to know just yet.

"…Sometimes," he said slowly, "sometimes people invest all they are into a single Wish. When they lose that Wish, they lose themselves with it."

"Oh…" His brother didn't understand the full weight of his words, but he seemed to have a vague, conceptual idea. "But that's not what _you_ did, right Zero?" Ichiru looked anxious. "You said you Wished I would live, and then I did, and your Wish was granted, but you're not going to be sad like her, are you?"

"Losing a Wish and fulfilling one are two different things." Though in his case, Ichiru was more accurate in using the term 'granted', as it wasn't Zero who'd saved his brother's life before they were born.

"Do you have a new one now?"

"Yes." Zero smiled. One just as bright as the one She had granted.

"Can I ask what it is?" Ichiru asked shyly.

"For you to be happy."

Ichiru stiffened, his expression cooling. "…I am, Zero." His voice was flat.

Zero sent him a knowing smile, strained and tinged with pain. "I know." He whispered. "I know." Ichiru _wanted_ to be happy. But Zero saw how devastated he was when their parents heard Zero's progress report from Yagari in comparison to his own. How furiously frustrated he was with not only Kaito for his cutting remarks during training, but with himself, for not being able to counter them.

And…more than anything, Zero could tangibly feel Ichiru's resentment of him, for being healthier, for being better, for being the light in their parents eyes whenever they saw how well Zero performed any hunter tasks assigned to him. Zero deserved it. Ichiru had every right to hate him, for taking what could have been Ichiru's as his own. It was then, in their mother's womb, Zero knew this couldn't stand. That whatever biological instincts were making him hurt Ichiru, had to stop.

He could feel his brother's life, his twin's life _fading_, and he tried to reach out, with the old soul he hadn't even known he'd possessed, for answers, for a way to save his little brother. And as if in response to a prayer, _She_ had reached back. She'd held together whatever pieces of Ichiru's life were left after Zero had stolen everything and promised him Ichiru would be whole again. What Zero took wouldn't be easy to replenish, and it would take time, but it would happen.

Eyes hard, Ichiru buried his face into Zero's chest. "I _am_." He repeated stubbornly, voice muffled. "I have you, and I've been getting better. I'm stronger than I ever was when I was younger. I _know_ that. I don't know how She's doing it, but I do know."

"And you'll keep getting better."

Ichiru's progress wasn't as visible to anyone who wasn't watching him closely, but compared to the level of endurance and skill Ichiru had had years ago, what he was capable of now should have been impossible, considering his physical condition shouldn't have changed. It was a gradual process; there were no instant developments or obvious jumps, which not only would have been suspicious, but damaging to Ichiru's growth.

If Zero were to name anyone other than Her or himself, who'd noticed on Ichiru's physical condition, it would be Yagari, who had looked after them since they were little. Now that he was constantly overseeing their training, Zero could tell Yagari was inspired by Ichiru's increasing progress, and was very careful with how he taught him. While he knew Zero would most likely turn out unscathed against anything thrown at him, he didn't want to risk setting Ichiru back by even an hour's worth of training if he could help it.

Laughing bitterly, Ichiru tightened his fist in Zero's pajama shirt. "…But I can't feel Her like you can. I've tried." He sighed. "You make Her sound so special. I want to know what it's like too."

"You will. She said soon." Zero said firmly. _Please believe Her. Please believe me_.

"She keeps saying that."

"It's the truth." Zero stressed. "She loves you. She's wanted you to feel Her since you were conceived. And She—"

"She calls me your Little One. I know. She never calls anyone else that." Ichiru then snickered. "Well, you said She calls _you_ little one, but it's because you _are_ little."

Zero simply shrugged at the slight and kissed his brother's forehead. "Yes."

Thin fingers lightly picking at the buttons on Zero's shirt, Ichiru curiously noted, "Doesn't She love all hunters? They're made from Her flesh and blood."

"No." Zero gently rubbed Ichiru's shoulder. "She isn't a goddess. She's not obligated to love every one of us." He could already imagine Her nose wrinkling in distaste at something so unreasonable. "Just like there're people you like more than others, She has Her preferences." It wasn't given freely, Her love. Being a hunter didn't automatically guarantee Her blessing.

She had chosen to watch over him and his brother, Ichiru especially. While Ichiru might not feel Her yet, he was in actuality, the closest living hunter to Her. His soul had been touched by Hers; directly by Her power, and She shared a personal connection with him that She had with none other.

"Do you know why She loves me?"

"You'd rather She has a reason?" Zero closed his eyes and tucked his nose in Ichiru's hair. They insisted on using different hair products, much to their mother's exasperation, and Ichiru's smelled like fresh pine. "I love you because I do. She's the same."

Ichiru slowly nodded. "I…like Her, I think, but only because you do. I'll like Her more if I could feel Her myself."

Zero nodded. And since he knew his brother and why the questions suddenly started cropping up, he said, "Ichiru, about the woman we saw – be careful." _She's angry, she's got nothing left, she's a vampire, be careful_.

Pouting into his shoulder, Ichiru grunted out a sullen, "Yes, okay. I can never keep anything from you, can I?"

Zero smiled a stiff smile Ichiru couldn't see and told him to go to sleep.

. . .

Three weeks and two days after their twelfth birthday, Zero was pulled violently out of sleep with a gasping groan. Ichiru had collapsed on top of him, the covers still between them. A dazed look to his eyes, Ichiru slowly sat up and straddled Zero's waist as Zero turned to lie on his back and yawned.

"What's wrong?" He couldn't sense any immediate danger and Ichiru didn't look frightened, so what was going on?

"Zero… Zero, I think She spoke to me." Ichiru whispered. "I went into the kitchen to make us hot chocolate and someone said 'good morning'. There was no one else in the room. Mom and Dad are still sleeping, and so were you, so…" Eyes wide, he leaned forward, his hands on Zero's chest. "Was that…was that _Her_, Zero?"

Zero was frozen stiff long enough Ichiru started to look worried. "Hey—"

Reaching up, Zero abruptly pulled Ichiru down and squeezed him with all the strength he could muster this early in the morning. Burying his face into his brother's shoulder, he tried to hide his stinging eyes.

"Ichiru," his voice was wet. "Ichiru…!"

"What? What is it? Is it Her? It is, right?" Ichiru patted one of Zero's arms. "You're going to strangle me if you keep this up. You're a lot stronger than you look, you know."

Zero loosened his hold, but kept his face against Ichiru's shoulder. "Sorry." He whispered. "But I—She's waited so long for you. We've waited so long, Ichiru." Twelve years… It had taken twelve whole years to return Ichiru to who he should've been the day of his birth.

_Thank you_. He thought it as loudly as he possibly could.

"Zero?"

"Shh." Zero rubbed his brother's back. "She's trying to tell us something. You have to let Her touch your mind. Let Her come to you."

Ichiru nodded cautiously.

Soon enough, they both heard a radiant: _Hello,_ _little ones_.

Ichiru looked around their room as if trying to spot where Her voice was coming from. "She's so warm…"

Zero smiled. "You can talk to Her out loud if you like. She can hear you."

Ichiru coughed lightly. "Um, hello?"

_I am pleased beyond measure to finally being able to speak to you this way. The only other who has longed just as desperately for this is Zero. He loves you with the fierceness worthy of ten mother bears._

Ichiru laughed. "Then I love him a lot more than that."

She made as if to hum. _Because you've despised him just as much. Zero has unwittingly made you feel helpless with how bright he shines. _She said bluntly.

Ichiru's smile turned grim. "Yes."

_He is aware, _She said, like it didn't matter at all. _To Zero, you shine the brightest out of anyone. I would never have been able to help you if not for his strong need to keep you alive. Even in the womb, his foremost thoughts were of you. _

"In the womb…?" Looking down at Zero, who looked back at him with a contentedness he'd never seen on his face before, Ichiru swallowed softly. "Is that true?"

Zero would never forget the despair that had shaken him at the realization his other half, his identical half, was dying. "…Something was making me steal from you." He quietly admitted. "Siphoning off your life. I was given a twin for a reason, and it wasn't so I could watch you die." The memories he could trace within his soul had never resonated with this amount of emotion for a single person – not once in the numerous renewals he had gone through. He didn't know if he'd ever loved anyone as much as he did Ichiru. It was different from the parental, from the familial, from the romantic.

Ichiru held his very life in his hands, and Zero wouldn't have it any other way.

"You're strange, Zero." Ichiru's smile was playfully wicked. "Are you saying you wouldn't miss our parents as much as you would me?"

"If that's how you want to define it." He'd had many 'parents' in past renewals ranging from one end of the spectrum to the other, and he treasured each and every one of them, but there was none like Ichiru. Something like this came once and only once. Zero doubted his future renewals would have the same chance.

Expression dropping, Ichiru narrowed his eyes. "You mean that." He stated. "You mean it." He poked Zero's cheek and suddenly said, "If you keep this up, you're going to be a dangerous seducer one of these days. You say some pretty outrageous things. The girls won't see it coming." His tone seemed forced, an underlying solemnity that belied the light joke.

Bemused, Zero tilted his head at the complete change in subject.

_He can be completely unaware of the impact his words can have on others. _She said amusedly. _You, out of anyone, should know this._

"What?" Zero's eyebrows lifted slightly in startled surprise. "Really? Are you saying I'm oblivious?" He asked worriedly.

Considering the age of his own soul, he tried to be watchful of his words and actions, but from Ichiru's and Her expression and tone, it seemed he needed a little more work. He had no recollection of saying 'outrageous' things, as Ichiru stated, but maybe he just hadn't noticed…?

"Never mind," Ichiru sighed. Rolling to the side and off of Zero, he propped himself up by his elbow. "…I guess uncle Yagari really wasn't lying when he said you had a brother complex." He muttered.

"Ichiru?" Zero blinked. A brother what?

_I've heard of these family complexes and I'm sure you've the same, Little One._ She laughed. _Do you recall your jealousy for that young boy Zero tried to take care of? You hate to see him act as an older brother to anyone but you._

"Complexes…?" Zero was still confused. What was She talking about?

Ichiru groaned. "_Don't _bring that up. That bloody idiot didn't deserve Zero fussing over him like a baby! I had worse injuries than a stupid scrape on my knee and _I_ never cried about it. Zero even wasted the last of his ointment on him!" He huffed. "Some hunter _he'll_ turn out to be."

Zero vaguely noted he didn't deny the jealousy.

_And the girl he carried to the infirmary?_

"It wasn't that serious!" Ichiru protested. "'Oh no, I feel faint!'" He mocked. "She just wanted to be carried by Zero, and managed to get him to do it with really underhanded tactics." Then he turned to Zero. "And you! You make yourself so easy to take advantage of. They think all they have to do is whine about feeling unwell and you'll wait on them hand and foot. You're not Nightingale, Zero, just leave them to their pain and misery and they _might_ learn how to wipe their own dirty behinds. Got it?"

"…Yes?" That girl had said she didn't think she could walk, though…

"Ugh."

It was strange, but lately, somewhere around the last year or so, the wide berth that Zero had long since gotten used to, was gradually shrinking. Boys and girls alike, though mostly girls, he supposed, took the time to speak to him more often, inviting him and Ichiru out to play. Zero hadn't minded, merely assuming they had gotten used to his presence that they weren't so cautious or afraid. In certain situations, however, Ichiru's endearingly protective streak came through, as if to ward off any of those who he deemed were not up to his standards for playmates.

_You little ones… _She tittered.

. . .

**OMAKE – Bloody Rose and White Lily**

"It's time you chose your weapons."

Zero and Ichiru exchanged a glance and stared back at Yagari. "Okay."

"Don't look so excited," Yagari said dryly. "Come on." He led them down the wide halls of HA HQ. "The anti-vampire weapons are placed in different rooms and moved around every now and then." He explained. "Most of us just pick something we're skilled at using, but some have a 'calling' for a certain type and become well tuned with it." His brows creased. "It's not uncommon for us to treat it like a trusted partner."

_The best_, She preened.

Zero held in a smile.

"Here." Yagari stopped in front of tall double doors and reached to push it open.

"Wait, uncle Yagari." Ichiru tugged at his shirttail. He pressed his hand against the door for a few moments before stepping back. "You have to ask for permission first. This is a place She's resting in. The weapons are a part of Her."

Squinting down at him, Yagari shook his head. "I won't disagree with that, but you're becoming a lot like Zero." He sounded baffled.

"I'll take that as a compliment." Ichiru snorted. "I already know I won't find anything here, though. I need a long blade."

_It would suit you extremely well. Lily especially wouldn't hesitate to work with you._

Raising his brows, Yagari shrugged. "All the better you know what you want. And Zero? Your girl in here, or what?"

Nodding, Zero went inside, heading straight for what he had sensed was his to wield, having been long since promised to serve a very specific Lady. "…_Bloody Rose_." He whispered, trailing his fingers along her barrel. Faint outlines of what seemed like vines rose from its surface in curious curls as if to greet him the instant his skin came in contact with the metal, but they vanished the next second, leaving only the engraved warm metal he had touched.

_Do you like her?_

She was perfect.

_She's the first of my extensions,_ She hummed, _the oldest. It means much to me for you to be her owner. _

He nodded in a show of respect for Her and Her choice before taking _Bloody Rose_ in his hands.

Yagari chuckled as he came back out. "Figures she'd let you use her. She rejected all the other idiots that dared to come close enough for a zap." He snapped his fingers in emphasis. "Must've been waiting for you to pop up all these years. Temperamental to everyone but her owner, that one."

_Rose is very loyal and a little one-track minded._ She defended.

Zero and Ichiru shared an amused smile. "Let's go find your _Lily_."

Hung proudly in a room on the floor below, _Lily_, unlike _Rose_, had a cool disposition, but had a fair bite of temper of her own if provoked – evidenced by a scowling Yagari waving his hand limply. Even poking experimentally at her handle wasn't welcome.

Snickering, Ichiru slipped her into the carrier he had brought with him. "She does like you, uncle Yagari, but it's been years since she was placed here, she's a bit touchy." He tilted his head as if to listen to something before obligingly relating, "She also wants me to know it'd be sacrilege to waste her on weak vampires; it's source for a lot of pride to be made from a pureblood, she won't tolerate tarnishing that by 'cutting trash'. Then warned me she'd give me what-for if I didn't use her properly. She's very opinionated." He sounded fond of her already.

Checking his watch, Yagari closed the door behind them and said, "Hell, that was fast. The shortest, least climactic weapon choosing I've attended. Let's skedaddle, little devils. Got places to go, people to see."

An incredulous silence followed his statement, and Zero and Ichiru simultaneously narrowed their eyes at him. "…'_Skedaddle_'…?" Ichiru whispered, a pitying twist to his mouth. "Seriously? Why would you…? _Oh._" Daintily pressing a hand to his chest, he faked a horrified gasp. "_Oh_ my god, is it girlfriend troubles again? I thought you _got over_ Yurika-san. You weren't good for each other." He made a poor imitation of a concerned mother.

"He must be watching too many kiddie cartoons with Cross." Zero murmured. The girl Cross had adopted loved her weekend programs and Yagari had been subsequently roped into enduring the thirty minute monstrosities along with him. "It's okay to refuse him once in a while. Whatever blackmail he has on you, it can't be that bad." Zero paused. "Unless Ichiru's right and you _are_ having relationship problems—"

"You two really know how to bring out the most _violent_ homicidal urges in a man." Yagari grinned, shark-like and feral. They hedged back. The muffled laughter from eavesdropping bystanders was hardly helpful. "Not a word out of either of you until I dump you back at your house or I'll cut your training hours in half."

As he stalked off, Zero looked down and muttered, "We shouldn't have mentioned his (ex)-girlfriend." It was obviously still a sore spot. Could they have had another argument?

Ichiru laughed. "I don't know about you, but I reminded him on purpose. Did you see his face? Hilarious."

They both tensed when Yagari threw them a suspicious glare over his shoulder. "Hurry up!"

"…Sometimes, I swear he has eyes on the back of his head and ears everywhere." Ichiru giggled.

. . .

A/N: Wow, it's been a while. Just thought I'd get back to these stories a bit and finish up or add what I could. Hope this was enjoyable! :)


	3. Nutmeg - Hiou Shizuka

**Nutmeg - Hiou Shizuka**

_Zero, she is here._

"I know."

Dashing outside, Zero looked to his left. The woman's presence was like a beacon, but he was completely unprepared for her speed. By the time he knew where she was, she was right in front of him, immobilizing him with but a glance.

Her hands were cold, he could feel it through his clothes as she held his shoulders. Steered as though a puppet to the whims of a puppeteer, he was slowly turned around to face the horrified faces of his parents. Her cheek brushed his ear, her frigid fingers pulling his collar open wide...and then her breath was on his throat like a death toll. The instincts he was born with, bred into him from his training, screamed _danger_ and the need to _run_, but he couldn't move. His body held perfectly, unnaturally still.

The demands of his parents on why _she _was here, what _she_ wanted, barely registered over the pounding of his heart. Every frantic pulse of it rang in his ears. The woman's answer to whatever his parents had asked was reduced to mere sounds. Beyond knowing there was a pureblood vampire at his back, he had no thought left but to run, and the more his body tried to break past whatever was holding it in place, the more panicked he became.

Just as he felt pinpricks from what couldn't be anything other than fangs, two voices rang out with equal desperation, clear and high. One was lined with despair and outrage, the other, with _fury_.

"No!"

_No! _

A flare of something hot and terrifying burned within him, and Zero wished he could tremble. Squeezing his eyes shut, he swallowed, his mouth dry. He could sense Her, stronger than he'd ever had, and She was growing ever more infuriated. The hands at his shoulders retreated, the hot breath at his throat cooled, and Her voice, sharper than his mother's knives, seared through his mind with a roaring order:

_**Lend me your hands**_.

There was hardly enough time for him to offer a resounding _Yes_ and his body was moving, free of its restraints, turning to face the woman behind him, the blade of his hand already raised as it ripped into her chest with point blank accuracy. There was no pressure, no resistance as he pierced through flesh and bone like a heated knife through butter, right up to his elbow.

It wasn't aimed to kill, however, and when he twisted his arm back out, she stumbled, but remained standing. He immediately stepped back, trying to get even a little more distance between them, and flicked his arm, ridding it of much of the blood coating it, leaving an arch of splattered red droplets by his bare feet.

The shock in the woman's eyes from his offense had died to be replaced with cold rage as she switched her gaze to his parents. One hand at her chest, she raised the other in the direction of his parents, who were starting to move, weapons poised.

But they wouldn't be fast enough.

_Zero!_

_I know!_ He had to get there before she did, but how could he overcome her speed? Her wound hadn't been infused with anti-vampire properties and it wasn't fatal. There was no telling how quickly she'd heal.

He darted forward not knowing if physically shielding his parents would lessen whatever blow was coming, but a voice he knew too well made him stagger in surprise before tripping and falling to his knees.

"Zero, stop! She'll hurt you!"

The floor just inches from his nose was chipped and cracked.

Whirling around, fear seized him as he saw Ichiru standing by the door. "Ichiru, run!"

Ichiru shook his head and calmly walked in as if there wasn't a vampire inside their home threatening their parents. His coat was open and he slipped it off to place it around Zero's shivering frame. Coming to his knees in front of Zero, he slowly wrapped his arms around him and pulled him against him, his grip unyielding.

"Ichiru!"

Their parents! What was he doing?

Ichiru sounded irritated as he said, "I said stop, Zero. I'm not letting you die for them."

That just made him struggle harder. "Ichiru!" Their parents!

But the words he heard next made him freeze. "I was the one who let her in." Ichiru's lips pressed against his ear. "Look." He allowed barely enough room for Zero to turn in his arms.

None of the dozens of memories he could bring up at the snap of his fingers on the death of different 'parents' he'd experienced could have done anything for the sight that met his eyes. Zero couldn't tell if they were alive or not. If they were, there was no saving them from those injuries. There was too much blood. So much blood.

He choked, "…Ichiru, _why_—"

"Shizuka-san, I thought I told you not to hurt Zero." Ichiru cut him off.

_What?_

"Oh, that blood isn't his." She turned to nod casually at Zero's arm, her torn, bloodied kimono in plain view. "Your 'gentle' half has quite the fight in him."

Zero clenched his hand into a fist.

"That's not what I meant," Ichiru said, eyes hard. "You tried to bite him."

Shizuka smiled. "I wasn't really going to, but maybe I should have. He would've tasted exquisite. Both of you smell rather potent." She threw blood-streaked hair over her shoulder. "Now I'll never be able to touch him. He has Her protection woven too deeply within him." She actually sounded disappointed.

Ichiru sighed like he was dealing with a particularly difficult child. "You should go before the hunters get here. I need to talk to Zero."

Sending one last look at their parents, Shizuka left, her form dispersing once she was past the threshold.

"Ichiru…?" Why did he sound as if…?

"Zero," Ichiru smiled wryly. "You still manage to shock me." He lowered one of his hands to hold Zero's bloodied fist. "And I'm sorry." This, Zero could see he meant for Her. "I made you angry. I told Shizuka-san not to touch Zero because of that, but she wouldn't listen."

_Your apology is accepted. Little One, what were your goals for this night?_

They both breathed easier at the warmth of Her presence blanketing them.

"Shizuka-san has one last Wish left and our parents are part of fulfilling it. Our parents killed her previous Wish and she wanted compensation. She would've hurt a lot of other people if she couldn't do anything about her current Wish."

"You knew she was going to kill them?" Zero said quietly.

"I suspected it. She's a vampire. And Zero, even knowing that, I didn't care much what happened to our parents. I didn't stop her." Ichiru paused. "But you already know that." There was no use admitting something they'd known for years.

He touched their foreheads together like they usually did when sleeping in the same bed. "It's only after I met Shizuka-san that I Saw what you always talked about. If someone…if someone could have helped her, she wouldn't have had to lose her Wish like that. If someone cared enough, she might not have done this. I'm not saying it's our parents' fault. They were just following orders. But Zero…we need to protect vampires." He said it with the same conviction Zero had years ago. "…Because this is what happens when we don't."

He lightly squeezed Zero's fist. "Our parents killed without question and unwittingly hurt someone else. And that shouldn't happen. She taught us to be different from that."

Zero kept his expression unreadable. Ichiru wasn't wrong, but even still…

"Please, Zero."

He shook his head. "You don't have to beg me for anything." His jaw tightened. "I won't…I won't blame her for her reasons." Shizuka had lost someone important to her as Zero's parents were to him. But for now, "That's all I can do." She killed two people who loved them. That wasn't something he could let go with a nod and a smile.

"But you'll stand by what you told me." Ichiru reaffirmed. "Hunters protect vampires too."

"We do. That is what She wanted for us." That came to him as naturally as breathing.

They both felt Her echo of approval hum across their minds. _Little ones, the Association is approaching_, She informed.

"Come on." Ichiru pulled Zero up by his hand and tugged him outside, slamming the door behind them. Zero didn't know if he should be thankful or not Ichiru had pulled him along too quickly for him to risk looking back to where their parents were lying.

A car was coming around, followed by two more, further back. The first came to a hurried stop, dirt and dust clouding its wheels, leaving a short trail behind. The doors opened to reveal Yagari and, Ichiru narrowed his eyes, Cross Kaien.

"What is he doing here?" He murmured.

Yagari was the first to rush up to them, eyes on Zero's blood stained clothes. "Are you two…?"

"It's not Zero's, uncle Yagari."

His relief palpable, Yagari nodded. "Good…that's, that's good." His gaze shifted to the door. "And…"

Ichiru tightened his hold on Zero's wrist. "They're inside."

As Yagari walked past them, Ichiru leaned down to set a pair of Zero's shoes on the ground. "Your toes are red."

Zero absently slipped them on.

"Ichiru-kun, Zero-kun…" Cross, unlike Yagari, was slow to reach them, one of his hands keeping his characteristic scarf in place. "I'm glad both of you are all right." He said, but his eyes trailed down to Zero's arm and never left until Yagari, face ashen, came back out and ushered them inside the car.

Yagari closed the door after them and spoke through the half-open window. "I need to stay longer for when the rest of the investigation teams get here." Turning to Cross in the front seat, he lowly demanded, "You better not drive off the road or do something equally stupid. If they get hospitalized after surviving this because of you…"

Cross smiled nervously, not a hint of humor in his eyes. "Have more faith in me! I can drive fairly well, you know. At very moderate speeds."

"Whatever. None of your shit stunts, got it? I'm leaving my brats with you and I'm expecting to see them in _one_ piece."

. . .

The ride to wherever Cross was taking them was silent. Well, to Cross it would be.

Ichiru and Zero leaned against each other and let Her words act as a soothing focus.

_Little ones, you must remember to thoroughly wash Shizuka's blood off. The blood of our kind have a mind of their own, and I cannot predict what it'll do if left for too long in contact with your skin. It might get absorbed if given the opportunity._

_Also, if one of you might remind Cross Kaien to look after my extension better, it would be greatly appreciated. He tends to forego the most basic care, being under the assumption my extension polishes itself. He should take a page out of Yagari Touga's daily routines…_

She seemed to know what they needed, and for half an hour, all either one of them heard was the hum of Her voice.

In comparison, Cross' announcement of their arrival was like sandpaper against their eardrums, effectively pulling them out of the near meditative state they were in. Grimacing, Ichiru guided Zero out of the car and into where he assumed was Cross' residence.

The interior was nothing like their temporary home; he was somewhat grateful to note, and marched straight past the strange girl Cross haltingly tried to introduce. They looked for the closest bathroom and locked themselves in.

Taking his coat from Zero's shoulders and letting it drop to the floor, Ichiru turned on the tap and stuck Zero's hand under it. Pumping the soap, he dragged Zero's ruined sleeve up over his elbow and lightly scrubbed at Zero's blood encrusted skin.

Looking at it now, after everything was done, without anything to obscure it, it really was a mess.

"Ichiru…" Zero said uneasily, speaking for the first time since getting on Cross' car. He couldn't stand wearing anything with Shizuka's blood on it. He used his free hand to start undoing his shirt.

"Hm? Oh." Ichiru blinked. "I guess you would want it off." He turned the water off for a moment and helped unbutton Zero's pajama top. "It does smell weird." They discarded the shirt on the floor to keep the coat company and resumed cleaning Zero's arm.

"I think you're going to need to cut your nails. You really dug into her." Ichiru said once the forearm was done and he held Zero's fingers up. The nails were lined faintly red underneath.

It was just as well Zero's hand had gone in and out at a rate that left him completely unable to recall the sickening texture of Shizuka's insides and how the blood came to congeal there. "I can do that on my own." He moved to step back from the sink when his arm was clean and dry, but Ichiru shook his head. "You have some on your face too."

Taking one of the towels on the rack they had yet to use, he dabbed the corner with water before wiping at Zero's cheek and nose. "_Now_ you're done." He left the stained towel in the sink and gave Zero another once over. "Thank god you don't have any in your hair, _that_ would've been—"

Ichiru let out a soft 'oof!' as Zero crashed into him, nearly toppling them over backwards onto the floor if Ichiru hadn't grabbed the edge of the sink to stay upright. He ran his other hand over Zero's bare back, feeling the tremors that shook Zero's body as he clung to him.

_Little one… _Her voice echoed softly, her concern obvious.

"You'll be okay, Zero." Ichiru intoned. "You'll be okay. Don't worry Her like this. We're clean and safe – well, sort of – and Shizuka-san can't touch you any more. Apparently."

Zero tucked his face into Ichiru's neck. "…I feel like you're going to leave." The way he had spoken to Shizuka… It was as though it was only a matter of time before he took off.

Ichiru laughed softly. "Well, I'm not yet, so let up on the squeezing. I swear you're going to grow up looking like a brawler and me thin as a toothpick. Nobody would be able to tell we're identical twins."

Zero kept silent, simply breathing in Ichiru's scent, and Ichiru sighed and dipped his head.

"It's not like I wished them death," he said into Zero's shoulder. "I just didn't care."

Zero nodded. "I know." It was more that he couldn't get the images of their parents to fade. They were so vivid. Their bodies, the blood, Shizuka's sad smile – just as some memories were imprinted onto his soul due to the emotions tied to them, these were likely to be added among them. And the loss…knowing he'd never see their parents again, that they were _gone_… He closed his eyes.

"You still smell like pine." He whispered. Some things remained exactly the same, even when everything else in his world had come crashing down around his ears in a matter of minutes. It was proof everyone else's world was unchanged, free of the drastic tilt in its axis his had taken. He didn't know if it was something he should be glad about, but the child in him, still learning to balance the weight of his soul, latched onto those consistencies like a lifeline. The scent of fresh pine, Ichiru's calmness, Her warmth, and, most relieving, his love for Ichiru was also the same as ever.

The hand at his back turned to patting. "Yeah, yeah," Ichiru huffed amusedly, "you like it though, don't you?"

"I like it because it's you." Otherwise, he could just use Ichiru's shampoo.

The hand at his back paused. "And sometimes, you say the grossest, sweetest things." But Ichiru didn't sound offended.

_I told you, Little One, the fierceness of ten mother bears. _She might as well have been laughing out loud.

Ichiru sighed again, deeply. "I know. Zero's _totally_ in love with me. I—"

Ichiru cut himself off as the bathroom door flung open along with a triumphant "Ha!"

Cross stood behind it, as well as the girl neither Zero or Ichiru caught the name of.

Man and girl stared.

"Uh," Cross broke the undoubtedly awkward silence awkwardly. "_Glad!_" He burst out, "I'm glad to see you're still okay…" He held up a key. "You guys didn't answer to the knocks, so I thought…I mean…just, just making sure things were fine." The girl next to him nodded shyly in support.

Zero and Ichiru tried not to let their confusion show. Did Cross think they were slitting their wrists in here or something? If so, they didn't seem all that concerned, more dumfounded.

_Consider how you two must look_, She said. _The little one is unclothed to his waist, embracing you, and you have just declared his undying love for you_.

…Oh. Well.

Zero refused to move and Ichiru was hardly one for embarrassment. "Could you…leave us for a bit?" Ichiru said pointedly, just this side of sarcastic. "We were in the middle of something—thanks for ruining that, by the way."

"Oh! Right, yes, of course, of co—"

The girl pulled the door shut before he could ramble on any longer. She was obviously the more sensible one of the two.

As their footsteps grew fainter and fainter, Ichiru wryly said, "All right, the scary strangers are gone, you can let go now." When Zero's arms loosened, he murmured, "And they say you're the mature one."

Zero shrugged, his mood having been instantly broken by Cross' senseless break-in. He didn't dislike Cross, but there were some things about him that were unsettling. Not to mention, he treated Her extension like an unwanted tool, as though averting his eyes from it would make ignoring his past any easier. She didn't take kindly to being held even partially responsible for Cross' misdirected depression and anger in his younger years.

And the girl he had with him, if possible, was worse. Something was _off_ about her, as if she wasn't really there. It was like half of her was missing, with a large dark void where it should have been filled with _something_, and on top of that, another old presence, not so dissimilar to Her, kept her existence…muffled. For all intents and purposes, the girl was half dead and walking around as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

Seeing his expression, Ichiru nodded, shuddering. "That girl's a walking disaster." He then frowned. "Wait, what was that…? I've never _felt_ anyone like that before. Is it because I can feel Her?"

Zero couldn't really offer a concrete answer. She had told him sensing vampires on a near empathic level was an ability he would have eventually developed even without Her influence. Unsure, he left it up to Her to provide any relevant information.

_Yes._ She answered. _But your ability to Read should only work for vampires. It's instinctual, but controllable. In the instance with Hiou Shizuka, you wanted to connect with her emotionally, and you viewed her as a non-threat. You did not feel the need to Read her._

"Oh," Ichiru murmured. "But that girl isn't a vampire."

_Yes. But that begs the question: Is she human?_

Zero and Ichiru exchanged a glance. "She _feels_ human." Zero started.

"But in the sense a humanoid doll looks human. It doesn't mean it is." Ichiru finished. He waved his hand disinterestedly. "I'm fine with calling her a freak of nature and being done with it."

Zero couldn't think of anything more to add, though he could tell She wanted them to know something. Were they expected to keep an eye on the girl?

"Are we staying here?" He asked softly. "Uncle Yagari said he'd see us again."

"That depends on what the adults want from us." Ichiru said. "But it won't be uncle Yagari. He's too useful to the Association to have his extra time occupied with taking care of us. _If_ we're not staying with Cross.

"I'm actually more worried about them making us attend school." Ichiru's mouth twisted. "So dull. And I bet we're way ahead of anyone in our age group. That's even duller. Didn't our tutors say we could graduate high school by our fifteenth birthday?"

School…wasn't out of the range of possibilities. Cross supposedly had an academy that covered middle school and high school. It would be too convenient for them to be arranged as transfer students.

"We'll have to live here…" Zero said slowly. The idea was beginning to seem more like a reality—staying in one place and sharing it with a shady ex-hunter and his half dead ward. It wasn't appealing.

Ichiru smirked. "We're not staying longer than we have to. Legal age is sixteen. Just four more years of this and we can move out and do whatever we like, Zero."

To be the proper hunters She had nurtured and to prevent cases like Shizuka and their parents from happening again.

"That's four years of preparation." They would be on their own.

"It's not much, but it's enough for now. Besides, it's better to keep things flexible just in case something happens and we're forced to jump ship."

_Little ones_, She fluttered happily across their minds, _much as I delight in your future plans, I suggest for sleep_.

Ichiru nodded. Picking up their shirt and coat, they patted over to one of the guest rooms. Once catching sight of the bed, they didn't stop for anything else and tucked themselves in.

Ichiru poked at Zero's shoulder under the covers. "They better bring some of our clothes here. You can't go around like this."

Zero nosed Ichiru's cheek. "I don't mind. You're here." One of his hands grasped firmly at Ichiru's sleeve, as if afraid he would slip out while he was asleep.

Contemplative, Ichiru suddenly said, "Stop thinking. You over analyze too much." He lightly slapped Zero's cheek. "And I'm not going anywhere. Not without you."

Zero blinked and leaned back. "…Mm."

"Good." Ichiru paused. "You know what, think about muffins. I want them for breakfast tomorrow. Big ones."

"Mm."

. . .

**OMAKE – The Morning After**

As promised the night before, they had an early visitor the next morning. While they initially assumed Yagari's warning to Cross about his driving was a show of some normality to put them at ease, Yagari was actually serious. Upon seeing them nibbling on their muffins, he had let out a sigh and his shoulders relaxed considerably. He even smiled (a little) and reached across the table to ruffle their hair.

"Good to see he got you two here without crashing the car."

He pulled out a chair and sat down, taking a muffin. "I did come here to see if you two were alive, but also," he took a breath, "to tell you about what the Association made of last night. I'm sure you know, but the vampire was a pureblood." He gauged their reactions before continuing, "She's been missing since she broke out of her cage. She's _still_ missing. We haven't any leads and the vampires aren't talking." He sounded disgusted.

Ichiru nodded and buttered another muffin. "That's not surprising."

Zero stood up to gather another cup and filled it with milk. "Uncle Yagari," he offered.

"Thanks."

"Uncle Yagari, are we staying with Cross? Is he our legal guardian?" Ichiru asked.

"Yeah," Yagari answered reluctantly. "But trust me, you can do worse."

"And will he make us attend his school, or are we allowed our old tutors?"

"That's up to him, but he probably will. Believe it or not, your tutors aren't cheap." He smiled wryly when he saw Ichiru and Zero look at each other in dismay.

"Will he let us skip grades? Our tutors told us we'd be able to graduate high school a few years from now."

"Give him enough incentive and he might."

"And…are you still teaching us?"

It took a moment for Yagari to reply, "Things went to hell in a hand basket because of last night. Everyone's throwing crap at anything and everything hoping it'll stick somewhere, but the fact of the matter is, the vampires let a pureblood loose, did nothing about it, and that pureblood killed two of our best hunters."

He sent Zero a brief look of apology when he flinched, but his eyes were firm. "I'll be doing my own investigation on your parents. This isn't something I can do half-assed along with everything else I'm juggling. I won't continue your training." His brows furrowed. "If I thought another hunter would suit you, I would have asked around, but you two would, frankly, kick his or her ass out the field." He shrugged. "I would have had to end your training in a year or so, anyhow. The only thing that could better you after that is experience."

"Thank you for telling us," Zero said softly. Anyone else would have kept distance.

"Thanks for breakfast." Yagari finished off his first muffin and took another before standing.

"Yagari! I thought that was you!" Cross bounced in, chirpy and irritatingly bright. None of them had heard him enter the room.

Yagari groaned. "_Fuck_." He dashed for the door.

"Wait—"

_Slam!_

Silence. Cross was left staring at the empty spot Yagari had occupied, his arm outstretched.

Ichiru lightly cleared his throat. "…There are muffins, if you'd like."

. . .

A/N: So, it's already been over a week since the last one-shot eh? Time flies. I don't have much left to post for this AU, but I think at least a few more one-shots should be in the works.

A huge thanks to all who reviewed! *insert ginormous heart here* You're all such amazing gems. Thank you for your wonderful thoughts!


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